Clean Scene by Murad

I don't want to call this a 'skin care routine' post, because I don't really find those helpful. I think everyone has such specific needs when it comes to their skin that the most we can really take from those types of posts are good skin care product recommendations. Which is great, don't get me wrong. There's so much out there between the drugstore and department store brands that it can be unbelievably overwhelming trying to wade through it all to get to the products that will work for you. That's the best thing about the online beauty community.. we all do the hard work for each other, testing and grading the huge number of products out there.

I've been having a terrible time with clogged pores recently, and have been frantically trying to find something to clear my congested skin. I ended up buying Murad's new lines' 'Craving for Clean' cleanser and 'Begging for Balance' moisturizer on a whim, not realizing I was making the perfect choice. The line was created for the younger population (hence the packaging and sickly sweet smells, which I'll get to later), targeting their skin's needs. Most automatically associate teen skin care with acne fighting products, but the line utilizes skin-balancing ingredients rather than the more often seen bacteria killers. The star ingredient in this line is 'Yumberry', which may be hard to take seriously, but is a super anti-oxidant.

Clean Scene 'Craving for Clean' Foaming Cleanser
For the price, this may not seem worth it for it's simplicity. It might seem like the overpriced equivilent of a drugstore cleanser, but I've decided the price is comepletely justifiable. Standard foaming cleansers from my local drugstore dry my face out like no other. Somehow this standard foaming cleanser from my local Sephora manages to keep my skin's balance from getting out of whack. As promised, this cleanser does foam up a good deal. On it's own, this doesn't remove all of my make up, but I always use a seperate remover anyway. Then again, I pile the stuff on; I would not doubt this cleanser's ability to efficiently remove every last trace of light to medium make up. This cleanser smells artifically fruity, but not in a clear-your-sinuses way. It's not overly obnoxious. For those of us who don't seek fancy pants ingredients in our cleansers, just something to get our faces completely clean without over-drying, this could just be The One.

Clean Scene 'Begging for Balance' Moisturizer
I'll keep this short and sweet: this is basically my dream moisturizer. Oil-free, light, skin-balancing. For my skin's condition right now, I've struck gold with this one. It won't harrass my poor pores, yet it does a great job of hydrating my dry cheeks. On a side note, the brand claims the moisturizer has mattifying properties, but since I use it at night I cant vouch for those. This one smells even stronger than the cleanser, but I mean, it smells like candy! It might bother some though.

Although I was immediatly put off by the overwhelming fruitiness of these products, I'm now loving what they're doing for my skin. They leave out all the bells and whistles, which I can get from masks and serums without worrying about overloading my skin.

The cleanser costs $17, the moisturizer goes for $22.

The cleanser's ingredients are: Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Butylene Glycol, Myrica Rubra Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Polyquaternium-4, Disodium EDTA, Propyl Gallate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance, Red 33 (CI 17200)

The moisturizer's ingredients are: Water, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myrica Rubra Fruit Extract, Salicylic Acid, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Propyl Gallate, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Ceteareth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sclerotium Gum, Disodium EDTA, Aminomethyl Propanol , Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance.

Natural, Affordable Skin Care!

Sometimes I feel like I'm throwing away my money when I purchase high end cleansers and toners. I'm still young, so it just doesn't seem like the high price tag is justifiable for the benefits I'm getting out of products that stay on my skin for such a short period of time. My thought process is that as long as I'm getting every last trace of make-up off and cleansing my skin with something gentle, I'm taking good care of my skin. Although I'm not as strict about make-up, when it comes to skin care, I make sure to keep it as natural as possible. Luckily, there are way more natural products in drugstores now than there was even 5 years ago. I love that you can find organic skin care lines at your local drugstore, in the same price range as it's chemist brand neighbors down the aisle.

I want to share my favorite natural drugstore products. I use 2 of these daily, and the other 2 weekly, and they all do a great job of taking care of my skin.



Yes To Cucumbers Calming Cucumber Facial Cleansing Gel: Of the three versions of Yes To products (the other two are carrots and tomatoes), the cucumber line is created for sensitive skin. This cleanser definitely doesn't make my face red in spots like some others do. It is very gentle, yet still does a good job of cleansing my skin. I don't use this alone to get off my make-up, though. As with any cleanser, I use something before-hand. If you have dry skin, don't be put off by the word "gel". My skin in combo, and when I use this cleanser in the morning, it doesn't make my dry spots feel tight in any way. This contains organic cucumbers, green tea, dead sea minerals, aloe vera, olive oil, broccoli, and other ingredients you won't find in most drugstore skin care. This doesn't contain parabens, petroleum, or nasty SLS. The last thing I have to say is that the cleanser smells divine. The scent reminds me of one I'd smell in a spa. It always puts me in a good, calm mood. The whole time I've been writing this paragraph I've been flipping the cap open to take whiffs.

Alba Sea Algae Enzyme Facial Scrub: Another great smelling product. If anything, at least smell these next time you're at the drugstore. Hahah, no, I really don't like when people go on about how great a product is because of it's smell. But if something works well, a good smell can make a huge impact because it makes the experience of using the product a pleasurable one. Anyways, I use this about every other day. The exfoliating factor in this is corn cob meal, which make up the actual grainy beads. Sea algae enzymes and aloe vera, according to the brand, rid your skin of impurities, revealing a cleaner complexion and increasing circulation. I usually use this in the shower, after the steam has opened up my pores a bit. It's important not to be to rough, or this will make your skin break out in angry red spots. The exfoliating beads are doing the work for you, you don't need the extra force of your hands. After I use this, my complexion definitely looks brighter, and my skin feels smoother. My flaky spots are gone. Unless you need something a little more heavy-duty, I think this could be anyone's favorite exfoliator. It does an amazing job.

Boots Botanics Conditioning Clay Face Mask: My skin has become more and more prone to clogged pores this past year. This was actually the first mask I've ever bought and used regularly. Before this, I used the occasional home-made concoction for dry skin, but nothing meant to pull anything out. This clay mask contains Burdock, which has been used for centuries as a blood-cleanser. On the less gory side of things, it also does a good job of ridding your skin of toxins and impurities. After using this, my pores are visibly reduced in size. My skin looks and feels deeply cleansed. There may be fancier products with fancier ingredients on the market.. but like I said, I'm still young and as long as I'm keeping my face clean, I'm happy and my skin is happy.

Alba Green Tea SPF 30+ Sunscreen: I bought this because I wanted to start being religious about keep the back of my hands and chest area protected from the sun (those are the tell tale spots when it comes to a woman's age!). The packaging is very practical, no pumps, just a flip-top cap so you don't end up with the product all over your purse. What I was pleasantly surprised by was how well it fares as a facial moisturizer. This sunscreen has it all, natural broad-spectrum SPF, with some good-for-your-skin ingredients packed in there. Not to mention it's water resistant. It does go on a bit greasy, but I promise you it dries really nicely. My skin absorbs this well, and I'm able to apply make-up over it just as I would be with any other moisturizer under. It has a spf of at least 30, which is great because for many moisturizers with spf, the typical number is 15. And even then, I'm worried about that number being reduced by the fact that the product is in fact a moisturizer, and not a sunscreen. I wouldn't replace my facial moisturizer with this, but for the summer months this is definitely what I'm using daily. And don't slap me, but this smells extremely good.

Prices vary from store to store, but the Y2C Cleansing Gel typically retails for about $10. Alba Facial Scrub also goes for $10 in most stores. The Boots Clay Mask retails for $8.99 at Target. Alba Green Tea Sunscreen averages around $12.

Sephora Haul

I've been realizing lately just how much make-up I've accumulated over time that I don't even use. Whether it be from gifts, something I couldn't resist because of a good deal, or whatever.. I have so many shadows and lipsticks and glosses,the area I'm really lacking in is the basics. Eyeliner, primers, things of that sort. So I did a little shopping at Sephora recently and picked up these goodies:

I got Urban Decay's 24/7 liner in Zero, Benefit Boi-ing in 'Medium', Tarte's primer, a Josie Maran lip palette that was on sale (I couldnt resist), along with some samples I could test out. The lip palette and concealer not pictured were big dissapointments for me, so I took them back.

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil

I don't wear black eyeliner often. I usually opt for brown or no eyeliner at all. I've tried the other UD eyeliners and loved the pigmentation and texture, and this is no exception. These are really pigmented, which I appreciate. The second picture shows how it held up after I allowed it about 30 seconds to set, then did a rub test. This is definitely a pencil you can smudge out, which makes it good for smokey looks. You can get a precise line too, but I'd recommend setting with black shadow as these do smudge. As for staying power... no pencil liner stays on my water line for more than 10 minutes. I'm serious. I don't have oily lids, or get teary eyed easily. The liner does not smudge or run and give me raccoon eyes. It simply dissapears. With a layer of black shadow, liner dipped in blacktrack fluidline, and another layer of powder to set... I'll get an hour of black-rimmed peepers. I know other people who use this say it has great staying power, so I'd trust that opinion more than mine.

Benefit Boi-ing

Where do I start with concealer? I, like most, am still on the search for the perfect (undereye) concealer. Why is it like that, seriously? It can't be THAT hard to create something with ample coverage and decent texture. Many a brand has one or the other down, is it really so imossible to have both in an undereye concealer? I've tried so many different ones, and they all leave my under-eye area with a greyish cast. Corrective concealers are always overly creamy, and look terribly cakey when set with powder. Well, I was hoping getting this cult classic end my search. Well, it didn't. At alll. My shade, 'Medium', worked fine with my foundation color, but I could not, for the life of me, get it to look decent. Under foundation, over foundation, under and over.. it was terribly blotchy, and didn't even give me semi-decent coverage, let alone "industrial strength" concealer coverage. I know they've changed the formula, which is probably to blame. I'm so dissapointed :/

Tarte Clean Slate Primer

I like Tarte, as I love natural make-up and prefer to wear it most days of the week. I've heard nothing but praises sung about this primer. I know its said that silicone can't actually cause us to break out.. nonetheless, I was convinced my old primer was the cause of some pimples. I took the plunge anyway and chose this over Korres's silicone-free primer, which I read reviews for, and the popular opinion is that it feels more like a moisturizer than a primer. I'm happy I did, as this really does deliver. You get .16 ounces more for $6 less compared the Smashbox, plus the benefit of not slathering your face in propylene glycol every day! I couldn't be happier. This makes my foundation last all day, no more patchy red spots. I also love it for days I go sans foundation. I dab a little under my eyes, follow with concealer, and it makes it lasts through the whole day I spend lounging around the house with my boo.

JOSIE MARAN "MY FAVORITE LIPS" LIP PALETTE
This little lip palette was the biggest disappointment. It's about the size of a credit card, and includes 4 glosses and 4 lipsticks. The glosses are completely sheer on my lips, and leave nothing but a hint of sparkle. As for the lipsticks, all but the fourth red one are a similar ugly brown tone on me. The worst part is the smell. I used to think I couldn't be bothered by funky smelling cosmetics, but I've realized I'm extremely particular about how my lip products smell. These smell plastic-y and horrible. Even as I sit now with the palette open a foot away from my face, that smell is creeping up... needless to say, I'll be passing it on. No wonder it was on sale for half off.

The samples I got were Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Benefit's new 'Stay Don't Stray', Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Cream, and Pangea Organics Balancing Oil.

Forgot to add these guys to the haul pic:

RECAP:

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is a gentle cleanser that claims to remove dirt and makeup without irritating the skin, or stripping it of it's natural oils. It emulsified nicely upon application and smelled really good to me, though I can see some people not liking it. It smells like what you'd expect.. soy. It didn't remove all my makeup, which I found out when I followed up with toner. It did get off more than my other cleansers do though, and did the job without making my skin feel tight afterwards. In combination with a moisturizing toner, I was able to skip moisturizer and my skin really did feel smooth as a baby's.

Bliss Triple Oxygen blah blah Cream seems like, as with all Bliss products have seemed to me, a waste of money. I mean, it's $54 for the full size. The sample had .34 fl oz, and lasted me about three weeks... and to be honest, I felt like I was spreading watered down yogurt on my face. I don't know if it's because this is probably more targeted towards mature skin, but I just didn't see a difference. The mask is supposed to "recharge dull skin", but I didn't find it gave me any sort of brightening effect. And on top of all that, it did not moisturize well at all. And I have combo skin. I would not recommend this as a moisturizer for dry skin. And seeing as how it's supposed to be good for mature skin, I'd expect it to be way more rich. Chronic dry skin = wrinkles.

Pangea Organics Himalayan Geranium & Pomegranate Balancing Oil is marketed as a natural balancing oil with antioxidants and other anti-aging properties, as well as a moisturizer. It claims to reduce acne scarring and sun damage, with "Tamanu Oil" antioxidants. Sweet almond oil is good for reducing the appearance of spots too. But anyways, on Sephora's site, they suggest adding a drop to your night cream for added moisture. I mixed a little on the back of my (clean) hand with the Bliss cream, applied it, and fell in love. The oil made the cream more spreadable, and the effect afterwards was amazing. I really did have glowing, clear skin that felt moisturized through the next day. I've also been using it around the eyes at night, since it's completely non-greasy. That area tends to be dry and irritated, and this oil is the best thing I've used so far for angry red patches in the corners of my eyes. The full size, which contains one ounce, costs $50, but you need so little I really think it could be worth it. Oh yeah, and the smell is divine.

Benefit Stay Don't Stray is primer than can be used under concealer and under eyeshadow. I didn't use it as a eyeshadow primer, since I prefer to use colored bases, but I did use it as an undereye concealer primer. The product is a pigmented concealer color itself, and I bet some could get away with this alone on the undereyes. Not me though, I need some color correcting in that area. Besides, the finish is soft or chalky. As a primer for my concealer, I did notice a slight difference in the one eye I used it on at the end of the day. Not enough to make me go out and drop the $24 I think it costs.

(All images other than own courtesy of Sephora.com)